Pages

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Not Just Best Friends by S.A. Hoag

by S.A. Hoag

Notice – the
views expressed here are mine and not those of the SFRB.

Character
building is a complex and time-consuming affair.You want them to be realistic, but usually
they are extraordinary people caught in extraordinary circumstances.In The Wildblood series, I’ve used the
relationship between two unusual people to reveal the storyline.The catch is – they are best friends, and
it’s complicated.

No, really it
is, and there’s the fun part.The
dynamics between these two reveal important subplots and hint at things that I
hope keep the readers intrigued.While
Wade is nearly a perfect example of an alpha male, and Shannon a head-strong
alpha female, there are enough twists to make them unique.I’ve been character-building around this
pair, and I’ve been world building through their interactions.Using them, I’ve expanded on family
interactions, their friends and co-workers, and perhaps most importantly, the
world they occupy.

What makes
this work for me, in this series, is that they have a unique relationship.The little quirks and details, complications
that might echo similarities in Real Life.They bicker, sometimes they fight, they laugh and joke, they share their
hopes and fears with each other.What
are they afraid of, and what do they cherish most?In this series, the question is, what would
they do to protect their home?People,
even fictional ones, have their limits.The author should exploit those, and the reader should enjoy them.

When I’m
reading, that’s what catches me – details that I can relate to.Is this character confident and
well-mannered, but afraid of large group of people?Does she dance alone when she’s happy?Does he keep a secret stash of romance
novels?When all is said and done, why
will I remember this character?Why
would I read more, or why wouldn’t I?

These are the
things I consider during my many edits.Spelling,
sentence structure, plot, all those things of course are important.If the story is boring or the characters don’t
catch the imagination of the reader, technical stuff won’t matter.

Uncontrollable. Unpredictable. Dangerous. The Wildblood.
Now, Team Three know what they are.

Renegades: Book 2 of The Wildblood takes up with Team Three out
among clans of the Altered, and cities where civilization has held ground.Their efforts to establish The Vista’s domain
create unique conflicts and forge unexpected allies. One of the most pressing
obstacle turns out to be their own governing council, a threat as real and
dangerous as the nomads of the outlands.

No one remembers what started the war, the big one. It happened too
fast, and there were too many lies, for the truth to be known. Civilization
stopped, and what came next was fueled by rage and fear.

Twenty years on, a tiny refuge, a place called The Vista, may be one of the
last vestiges of humanity. Isolated, guarded, and hiding a dark secret, the
people have survived World War Last, and they are content with that. Their
children, however, are not. The search for others will send them out into a
world they know nothing about, where the line between enemy and ally is
blurred. The war may not be over.

~~~~~

S. A. Hoag - Author

I've been a lifelong Sci Fi addict, from Saturday morning monster
movies, to a well-stocked public library, and being absolutely thrilled at the
advent of CGI.

Writing came about naturally. I love contemplating 'what if' or 'what
next', and then books happen. Detailed plots, intricate relationships, surprise
twists, these are a few of my favorite things. I want my readers to be
entertained.

Now I
watch sunsets in the desert, the stars at night, and enjoy being with my
family. You can find all my current books at my website. I hope you have as
much fun reading them as I did writing them.